Seattle's famous crazy food

May 1, 2013 7:32 PM

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ruthdaniel/6122782214/

Image 1of/18

Caption

Close

Image 1 of 18

Forget the whole farm-to-table thing. Seattle may be a mecca for that kind of food, but we've got our share of extreme, theatrical, ''Man v. Food'' kind of eats, too. Here's a look, because those roasted turnips and kale chips can be kind of dull. less

Forget the whole farm-to-table thing. Seattle may be a mecca for that kind of food, but we've got our share of extreme, theatrical, ''Man v. Food'' kind of eats, too. Here's a look, because those roasted ... more

The Crab Pot's ''Seafeast'': Hammer and bib ready? No need for plates or forks when the bucket of food known as the ''Seafeast'' (pictured) is sprawled out onto a butcher-paper-lined table. ''The Alaskan'' Seafeast is $38.95 per person. At Pier 57, 1301 Alaskan Way. Photo: othree, Flickr. less

The Crab Pot's ''Seafeast'': Hammer and bib ready? No need for plates or forks when the bucket of food known as the ''Seafeast'' (pictured) is sprawled out onto a butcher-paper-lined table. ''The Alaskan'' ... more

The ''Lunar Orbiter'' at the Space Needle: You might think this tourist-beloved dessert is just an ice cream sundae. How wrong you'd be. It's a spectacle, with dry ice billowing around the table and an ice cream sphere that looks like it's floating in space. Fun, pricey and historic (dates back to the early '60s).
(Photo: ruthdaniel3444, Flickr). less

The ''Lunar Orbiter'' at the Space Needle: You might think this tourist-beloved dessert is just an ice cream sundae. How wrong you'd be. It's a spectacle, with dry ice billowing around the table and an ice ... more

El Gaucho’s Bananas Foster: If fog isn’t your thing, how about fire? At swanky El Gaucho, you can order the dramatic, old-school dessert Bananas Foster (pictured) or Cherries Jubilee, which will summon fruit, liqueur and a tableside flambé. In Belltown, 2505 First Ave. less

El Gaucho’s Bananas Foster: If fog isn’t your thing, how about fire? At swanky El Gaucho, you can order the dramatic, old-school dessert Bananas Foster (pictured) or Cherries Jubilee, which will summon ... more

Gorditos: This Mexican restaurant brags about the size of its "burritos grande" ($8.30), so enormous that customers have compared them with newborn babies. (And posted photos on the wall). The restaurant acknowledges the hugeness of it all, but says leftovers are key. In Greenwood, 213 N. 85th St.
(Photo is of 11-week-old Ravenna Rose Trujillo and a Gorditos' burrito grande). less

Gorditos: This Mexican restaurant brags about the size of its "burritos grande" ($8.30), so enormous that customers have compared them with newborn babies. (And posted photos on the wall). The restaurant ... more

Beth’s Café is home to late-night, next-day-hungover-hungry grub, and the notorious 12-egg omelet. It comes on a pizza-pie plate, with “all you can eat” hash browns. Like you need hash browns with this. North of Green Lake, at 7311 Aurora Ave. N. (Photo: Peter L., on Yelp). less

Beth’s Café is home to late-night, next-day-hungover-hungry grub, and the notorious 12-egg omelet. It comes on a pizza-pie plate, with “all you can eat” hash browns. Like you need hash browns with this. ... more

Beth’s Café is home to late-night, next-day-hungover-hungry... Photo-4560060.61488 - seattlepi.com

Image 7 of 18

Zippy’s Giant Burgers: Pictured is the “King Lou Lou,” a four-pattied beast with eight pieces of bacon, four slices of cheese and a cheeseburger crown. Not sure if this is still on Zippy’s menu; if not, you can always double-down with two orders of the three-pattied “Big Mouth” burger. In White Center, 9614 14th Ave. SW.
(Photo: Becky LeVeck/Seattle Magazine. To see Seattle Magazine's picks for best "over-the-top" burgers, go here: http://seattlemag.com/article/7-over-top-big-burgers). less

Zippy’s Giant Burgers: Pictured is the “King Lou Lou,” a four-pattied beast with eight pieces of bacon, four slices of cheese and a cheeseburger crown. Not sure if this is still on Zippy’s menu; if not, ... more

Sloop Tavern’s “sloopersized” beers: When you need to hold something bigger than a dainty pint of beer, go to the Sloop. Their colossal, chilled, “sloopersized” 33.8-ounce beer will get you through the night at $4.50 a pop. (Or $6.50 for microbrew). In Ballard, 2830 N.W. Market St. less

Sloop Tavern’s “sloopersized” beers: When you need to hold something bigger than a dainty pint of beer, go to the Sloop. Their colossal, chilled, “sloopersized” 33.8-ounce beer will get you through ... more

Deep-fried butter: You don’t go to the Puyallup Fair for the 4-H exhibits, do you? You go there for the scones, cotton candy and elephant ears. And of course the deep-fried butter, otherwise known as gobs of fat fried in fat. less

Deep-fried butter: You don’t go to the Puyallup Fair for the 4-H exhibits, do you? You go there for the scones, cotton candy and elephant ears. And of course the deep-fried butter, otherwise known as gobs of ... more

Wing Dome's ''seven-alarm'' hot sauce: The ''three-alarm'' sauce is popular, the ''six-alarm'' is described as ''Can't Feel My Face,'' and the ''seven-alarm'' comes with a challenge: Eat seven fiery wings in seven minutes with no napkins or drink and get your photo on the wall.
Seems like a small prize for so much suffering. In Greenwood, 7818 Greenwood Ave. N.
(Photo: Wing Dome wings, by Jeremy Keith, Flickr). less

Wing Dome's ''seven-alarm'' hot sauce: The ''three-alarm'' sauce is popular, the ''six-alarm'' is described as ''Can't Feel My Face,'' and the ''seven-alarm'' comes with a challenge: Eat seven fiery wings in ... more

Deep-fried everything at the Unicorn: Can’t wait for the fair? There’s always the kitschy bar Unicorn, and its deep-fried Twinkies, burgers, Oreos, Snickers and “unicorn droppings.”
Those would be fried banana and Reese’s peanut butter cups bathed in chocolate batter. (Sorry, no photo of Unicorn’s food, so you’ll have to look at a deep-fried Twinkie). In Capitol Hill, 1118 E. Pike St. (Photo: Dennis Yang, Flickr). less

Deep-fried everything at the Unicorn: Can’t wait for the fair? There’s always the kitschy bar Unicorn, and its deep-fried Twinkies, burgers, Oreos, Snickers and “unicorn droppings.” Those would be ... more

Din Tai Fung’s “shaved ice with assorted toppings”: Don’t let the non-descript name of this Taiwanese dessert fool you. It’s a sundae on steroids, covered in such delights as red beans, mochi balls, aloe jelly cubes, popping bobas, sweetened condensed milk and a blob of mango pudding on top.
Share it with a group and watch the spoons fly. In Bellevue, 700 Bellevue Way N.E.
(Photo: Herman Man, Chewsy) less

Din Tai Fung’s “shaved ice with assorted toppings”: Don’t let the non-descript name of this Taiwanese dessert fool you. It’s a sundae on steroids, covered in such delights as red beans, mochi balls, ... more

Chowder bread bowls: Eating food and the container in which it comes is nothing new (pita pockets, taco-shell bowls), but the line must be drawn with bread bowls. Either you have to pick up the whole thing and gnaw away, or pretend you’re not getting soup all over yourself as you pick away. It’s an ungainly affair.
(Photo of Pike Place Chowder, in Pike Place Market). less

Chowder bread bowls: Eating food and the container in which it comes is nothing new (pita pockets, taco-shell bowls), but the line must be drawn with bread bowls. Either you have to pick up the whole thing and ... more

Frappuccinos: Is there a point at which a Starbucks Frappucino goes too far? When 93 grams of sugar in a single drink* makes your head implode? That's the nutritional breakdown of the latest Frappuccino, the “Caramel Ribbon Crunch” (not pictured).
It features “four kinds of caramel,” plus caramel sauce, caramel drizzle, caramel sugar topping and a mound of whipped cream. Oh, and some coffee, too.
*For a grande, with nonfat milk.
(Photo: basheertome, Flickr). less

Frappuccinos: Is there a point at which a Starbucks Frappucino goes too far? When 93 grams of sugar in a single drink* makes your head implode? That's the nutritional breakdown of the latest Frappuccino, the ... more

Frappuccinos : Is there a point at which a Starbucks Frappucino... Photo-4560069.61488 - seattlepi.com

Frost Doughnuts: Like the king of Seattle doughnuts - Top Pot - this Mill Creek shop fries from scratch. But it lets loose with Willy Wonka toppings of Butterfingers and Oreos. And, of course, bacon on maple bars. In Mill Creek, 15421 Main St.
(Photo: Lisa Hilderbrand, ''Eastside Inside'' blog). less

Frost Doughnuts: Like the king of Seattle doughnuts - Top Pot - this Mill Creek shop fries from scratch. But it lets loose with Willy Wonka toppings of Butterfingers and Oreos. And, of course, bacon on maple ... more

Frost Doughnuts : Like the king of Seattle doughnuts - Top Pot -... Photo-4560071.61488 - seattlepi.com

Image 17 of 18

Katsu Burger: Not only are their burgers deep-fried tempura-style at this Georgetown place, there's the challenge of “Mt. Fuji'' (not pictured).
It's an $18.95 burger with four kinds of meat (beef patty, pork cutlet, chicken breast and bacon), fried egg, cheese and two kinds of mayo (wasabi and spicy). It’s under the section of “huge burgers for insane appetites.” Sounds about right. At 6538 Fourth Ave. S.
(Photo, of a less ''insane'' Katsu burger, is by Jocelyn Lui, courtesy Katsu Burger). less

Katsu Burger: Not only are their burgers deep-fried tempura-style at this Georgetown place, there's the challenge of “Mt. Fuji'' (not pictured). It's an $18.95 burger with four kinds of meat (beef patty, ... more

Katsu Burger : Not only are their burgers deep-fried tempura-style... Photo-4560072.61488 - seattlepi.com